The doctor told of having seen Balcom's body. But at first he could not explain why he was in the spot at the time.
Then Locke went on to tell him of the document that Paul had shown to Zita.
Doctor Q sank heavily into a chair.
"That document that Paul Balcom showed Zita," he exclaimed, after a moment, "told the truth."
All were startled. Zita would have risen with a cry had not Locke gently touched her arm.
"Tell us the story," demanded Locke of Q.
For some moments Doctor Q seemed to be collecting his scattered thoughts, as though still a haze hung over his mind. Then he began to speak, becoming more certain of his strange story.
"It was many years ago," he began, as all drew closer about him, listening breathlessly to his narrative, "and all these years I have been quite mad. The man now lying dead, Balcom, was the cause of all these years of misery."
The old man passed his hand over his head as though to wipe away a recollection of hate and fear, then resumed:
"I was an inventor in those days, and very successful. I had built up a great fortune, had built a great house, and in that house I had a beautiful wife and two of the loveliest children, a boy and a girl, that ever man had."